U.S. patent application number 09/040696 was filed with the patent office on 2001-08-09 for network facsimile apparatus capable of relaying e-mail to facsimile machine.
Invention is credited to MORI, YUKIKAZU.
Application Number | 20010012120 09/040696 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 13836100 |
Filed Date | 2001-08-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010012120 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MORI, YUKIKAZU |
August 9, 2001 |
NETWORK FACSIMILE APPARATUS CAPABLE OF RELAYING E-MAIL TO FACSIMILE
MACHINE
Abstract
A network facsimile apparatus relaying electronic mail to a
facsimile machine receives electronic mail via a local area network
and the Internet and transmits facsimile data including facsimile
image information and a facsimile data file through facsimile
communications procedures via PSTN. The network facsimile apparatus
analyzes the received E-mail to determine if it is relay
transmission mail and if received relay transmission mail includes
text contents, reads a telephone number of a destination facsimile
machine from the received relay transmission mail, and converts the
contents of the received electronic mail into facsimile image
information when the received E-mail is a relay transmission mail
and includes text contents and into a facsimile transfer data file
when the received E-mail is relay transmission mail and includes
non-text contents and transmits one of the facsimile image
information and the facsimile transfer data file to the destination
facsimile machine having the telephone number read from the
received relay transmission mail.
Inventors: |
MORI, YUKIKAZU; (EBINA-SHI,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
IVAN S KAVRUKOV
COOPER & DUNHAM
1185 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS
NEW YORK
NY
10036
|
Family ID: |
13836100 |
Appl. No.: |
09/040696 |
Filed: |
March 18, 1998 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
358/1.15 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 2201/0086 20130101;
H04N 2201/0067 20130101; H04N 2201/0034 20130101; H04N 1/32406
20130101; H04L 51/214 20220501; H04N 2201/0068 20130101; H04N
1/00209 20130101; H04L 51/066 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
358/1.15 |
International
Class: |
B41B 001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 19, 1997 |
JP |
9-084633 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A network facsimile apparatus, comprising: an electronic mail
receiver receiving electronic mail via a local area network and the
Internet; a facsimile transmitter transmitting facsimile data
including facsimile image information and a facsimile data file
through facsimile communications procedures via a public switched
telephone network; a mail analyzer determining whether electronic
mail received through said electronic mail receiver is relay
transmission mail and whether received relay transmission mail
includes text contents when said received electronic mail is relay
transmission mail and for reading a telephone number of a
destination facsimile machine from said received relay transmission
mail; and a relay transmission controller converting contents
included in said received electronic mail into facsimile image
information when said mail analyzer determines that said received
electronic mail is relay transmission mail and includes text
contents and into a facsimile transfer data file when said mail
analyzer determines that said received electronic mail is relay
transmission mail and includes non-text contents and for
transmitting one of said facsimile image information and said
facsimile transfer data file through said facsimile transmitter to
said destination facsimile machine having said telephone number
read by said mail analyzer from said received relay transmission
mail.
2. The network facsimile apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
said relay transmission controller copies header information
indicated in said received relay transmission mail and pastes the
copied information to text contents to be converted into facsimile
image information when said relay transmission mail includes at
least one text contents part and generates individual facsimile
image information having text contents including said header
information when said relay transmission mail includes only
non-text contents.
3. A network facsimile apparatus, comprising: an electronic mail
receiver receiving electronic mail via a local area network and the
Internet; a facsimile transmitter transmitting facsimile data
including facsimile image information and a facsimile data file
through facsimile communications procedures via a public switched
telephone network; a mail analyzer determining whether electronic
mail received through said electronic mail receiver is a multi-part
relay transmission mail and whether each part of received
multi-part relay transmission mail includes text contents when said
received electronic mail is a multi-part relay transmission mail
and reading a telephone number of a destination facsimile machine
from said received relay transmission mail; and a relay
transmission controller converting each contents part of said
received electronic mail into facsimile image information when said
mail analyzer determines that said received electronic mail is a
multi-part relay transmission mail and includes at least one text
contents part and into a facsimile transfer data file when said
mail analyzer determines that said received electronic mail is a
multi-part relay transmission mail and includes at least one
non-text contents part and transmitting said facsimile image
information and said facsimile transfer data files in one
transmission session through said facsimile transmitter to said
destination facsimile machine having said telephone number read by
said mail analyzer from said received relay transmission mail.
4. The network facsimile apparatus according to claim 3, wherein
said relay transmission controller copies header information
indicated in said received relay transmission mail and pastes the
copied information to text contents to be converted into facsimile
image information when said relay transmission mail includes at
least one text contents part and generates individual facsimile
image information having text contents including said header
information when said relay transmission mail includes only
non-text contents.
5. The network facsimile apparatus according to claim 3, wherein
said relay transmission controller copies common header information
indicated in said received multi-part relay transmission mail and
pastes the copied common header information to each header of text
contents parts to be converted into facsimile image information
when said multi-part relay transmission mail includes at least one
text contents part and of non-text contents parts to be converted
into facsimile transfer data files when said multi-part relay
transmission mail includes at least one non-text contents part.
6. The network facsimile apparatus according to claim 5, wherein
said relay transmission controller copies common header information
indicated in said received multi-part relay transmission mail and
pastes the copied common header information only to a header of a
first text contents part to be converted into facsimile image
information when said multi-part relay transmission mail includes
at least one text contents part.
7. A network facsimile apparatus, comprising: an electronic mail
receiver receiving electronic mail via a local area network and the
Internet; a facsimile transmitter transmitting facsimile data
including facsimile image information and a facsimile data file
through facsimile communications procedures via a public switched
telephone network; a mail analyzer determining whether electronic
mail received through said electronic mail receiver is a multi-part
relay transmission mail and whether each part of received
multi-part relay transmission mail includes text contents when said
received electronic mail is a multi-part relay transmission mail
and reading a telephone number of a destination facsimile machine
from said received relay transmission mail; and a relay
transmission controller converting contents included in said
received electronic mail into facsimile image information when said
mail analyzer determines that said received electronic mail is a
non-multi-part relay transmission mail and includes text contents
and into a facsimile transfer data file when said mail analyzer
determines that said received electronic mail is a non-multi-part
relay transmission mail and includes non-text contents and
transmitting one of said facsimile image information and said
facsimile transfer data file through said facsimile transmitter to
said destination facsimile machine having said telephone number
read by said mail analyzer from said received non-multi-part relay
transmission mail, and converting each contents part of said
received electronic mail into facsimile image information when said
mail analyzer determines that said received electronic mail is a
multi-part relay transmission mail and includes at least one text
contents part and into a facsimile transfer data file when said
mail analyzer determines that said received electronic mail is a
multi-part relay transmission mail and includes at least one
non-text contents part and transmitting said facsimile image
information and said facsimile transfer data files in one
transmission session through said facsimile transmitter to said
destination facsimile machine having said telephone number read by
said mail analyzer from said received relay transmission mail.
8. A network facsimile apparatus, comprising: an electronic mail
receiver receiving electronic mail via a local area network and the
Internet; a facsimile transmitter transmitting facsimile data
including facsimile image information and a facsimile data file
through facsimile communications procedures including an error
correction mode procedure via a public switched telephone network;
a mail analyzer determining whether electronic mail received
through said electronic mail receiver is a multi-part relay
transmission mail and whether each part of received multi-part
relay transmission mail includes text contents when said received
electronic mail is a multi-part relay transmission mail and reading
a telephone number of a destination facsimile machine from said
received relay transmission mail; and a relay transmission
controller converting the text contents parts of said received
electronic mail into continuous facsimile image information when
said mail analyzer determines that said received electronic mail is
a multi-part relay transmission mail and includes at least one text
contents part and all of non-text contents parts into a facsimile
transfer data file when said mail analyzer determines that said
received electronic mail is a multi-part relay transmission mail
and includes at least one non-text contents part and transmitting
said continuous facsimile image information and said facsimile
transfer data file in one transmission session in a successive page
format through said error correction mode procedure with said
facsimile transmitter to said destination facsimile machine having
said telephone number read by said mail analyzer from said received
relay transmission mail.
9. A network facsimile apparatus, comprising: an electronic mail
receiver receiving electronic mail via a local area network and the
Internet; a facsimile transmitter transmitting facsimile data
including facsimile image information and a facsimile data file
through facsimile communications procedures including an error
correction mode procedure via a public switched telephone network;
a mail analyzer determining whether electronic mail received
through said electronic mail receiver is a multi-part relay
transmission mail and whether each part of a received multi-part
relay transmission mail includes text contents when said received
electronic mail is a multi-part relay transmission mail and reading
a telephone number of a destination facsimile machine from said
received relay transmission mail; and a relay transmission
controller converting contents included in said received electronic
mail into facsimile image information when said mail analyzer
determines that said received electronic mail is a non-multi-part
relay transmission mail and includes text contents and into a
facsimile transfer data file when said mail analyzer determines
that said received electronic mail is a non-multi-part relay
transmission mail and includes non-text contents and transmitting
one of said facsimile image information and said facsimile transfer
data file through said facsimile transmitter to said destination
facsimile machine having said telephone number read by said mail
analyzer from said received non-multi-part relay transmission mail,
and converting the text contents parts of said received electronic
mail into continuous facsimile image information when said mail
analyzer determines that said received electronic mail is a
multi-part relay transmission mail and includes at least one text
contents part and the non-text contents parts into a facsimile
transfer data file when said mail analyzer determines that said
received electronic mail is a multi-part relay transmission mail
and includes at least one non-text contents part and transmitting
said continuous facsimile image information and said facsimile
transfer data file in one transmission session in a successive page
format through said error correction mode procedure with said
facsimile transmitter to said destination facsimile machine having
said telephone number read by said mail analyzer from said received
relay transmission mail.
10. A method of electronic mail relay transmission, comprising the
steps of: receiving electronic mail via a local area network and
the Internet; transmitting facsimile data including facsimile image
information and a facsimile data file through facsimile
communications procedures via a public switched telephone network;
determining whether electronic mail received in said receiving step
is a relay transmission mail and whether received relay
transmission mail includes text contents when said received
electronic mail is relay transmission mail; reading a telephone
number of a destination facsimile machine from said received relay
transmission mail; converting contents included in said received
electronic mail into facsimile image information when said
determining step determines that said received electronic mail is a
relay transmission mail and includes text contents and into a
facsimile transfer data file when the determining step determines
that said received electronic mail is a relay transmission mail and
includes non-text contents; and sending one of said facsimile image
information and said facsimile transfer data through said
transmitting step to said destination facsimile machine having said
telephone number read in said reading step from said received relay
transmission mail.
11. The method of electronic mail relay transmission according to
claim 10, further comprising the steps of copying header
information indicated in said received relay transmission mail and
pasting the copied informatino to text contents to be converted
into facsimile image information when said relay transmission mail
includes at least one text contents part and generating individual
facsimile image information having text contents including said
header information when said relay transmission mail includes only
non-text contents.
12. A method of electronic mail relay transmission, comprising the
steps of: receiving electronic mail via a local area network and
the Internet; transmitting facsimile data including facsimile image
information and a facsimile data file through facsimile
communications procedures via a public switched telephone network;
determining whether electronic mail received in the receiving step
is a multi-part relay transmission mail and whether each part of a
received multi-part relay transmission mail includes text contents
when said received electronic mail is a multi-part relay
transmission mail; reading a telephone number of a destination
facsimile machine from said received relay transmission mail;
converting each contents part of said received electronic mail into
facsimile image information when said determining step determines
that said received electronic mail is a multi-part relay
transmission mail and includes at least one text contents part and
into a facsimile transfer data file when said determining step
determines that said received electronic mail is a multi-part relay
transmission mail and includes at least one non-text contents part;
and sending said facsimile image information and said facsimile
transfer data files in one transmission session through said
transmitting step to said destination facsimile machine having said
telephone number read in said reading step from said received relay
transmission mail.
13. The method of electronic mail relay transmission according to
claim 12, further comprising the steps of copying header
information indicated in said received relay transmission mail and
pasting the copied information to text contents to be converted
into facsimile image information when said relay transmission mail
includes at least one text contents part and generating individual
facsimile image information having text contents including said
header information when said relay transmission mail includes only
non-text contents.
14. The method of electronic mail relay transmission according to
claim 12, further comprising the steps of copying common header
information indicated in said received multi-part relay
transmission mail and pasting the copied informatino to each header
of text contents parts to be converted into facsimile image
information when said multi-part relay transmission mail includes
at least one text contents part and of non-text contents parts to
be converted into facsimile transfer data files when said
multi-part relay transmission mail includes at least one non-text
contents part.
15. The method of electronic mail relay transmission according to
claim 14, comprising the steps of copying common header information
indicated in said received multi-part relay transmission mail and
pasting the copied common header information only to a header of a
first text contents part to be converted into facsimile image
information when said multi-part relay transmission mail includes
at least one text contents part.
16. A method of electronic mail relay transmission, comprising the
steps of: receiving electronic mail via a local area network and
the Internet; transmitting facsimile data including facsimile image
information and a facsimile data file through facsimile
communications procedures via a public switched telephone network;
determining whether electronic mail received in said receiving step
is a multi-part relay transmission mail and whether each part of a
received multi-part relay transmission mail includes text contents
when said received electronic mail is a multi-part relay
transmission mail; reading a telephone number of a destination
facsimile machine from said received relay transmission mail; first
step of converting contents included in said received electronic
mail into facsimile image information when said determining step
determines that said received electronic mail is a non-multi-part
relay transmission mail and includes text contents and into a
facsimile transfer data file when said determining step determines
that said received electronic mail is a non-multi-part relay
transmission mail and includes non-text contents; first step of
sending one of said facsimile image information and said facsimile
transfer data file which has undergone said first step of
converting, through said transmitting step to said destination
facsimile machine having said telephone number read in said reading
step from said received non-multi-part relay transmission mail;
second step of converting each contents part of said received
electronic mail into facsimile image information when said
determining step determines that said received electronic mail is a
multi-part relay transmission mail and includes at least one text
contents part and into a facsimile transfer data file when said
determining step determines that said received electronic mail is a
multi-part relay transmission mail and includes at least one
non-text contents part; and second step of sending said facsimile
image information and said facsimile transfer data files which have
undergone said step of second step of converting, in one
transmission session through said transmitting step to said
destination facsimile machine having said telephone number read in
said reading step from said received relay transmission mail.
17. A method of electronic mail relay transmission, comprising the
steps of: receiving electronic mail via a local area network and
the Internet; transmitting facsimile data including facsimile image
information and a facsimile data file through facsimile
communications procedures including an error correction mode
procedure via a public switched telephone network; determining
whether electronic mail received in said receiving step is a
multi-part relay transmission mail and whether each part of a
received multi-part relay transmission mail includes text contents
when said received electronic mail is a multi-part relay
transmission mail; reading a telephone number of a destination
facsimile machine from said received relay transmission mail;
converting the text contents parts of said received electronic mail
into continuous facsimile image information when said determining
step determines that said received electronic mail is a multi-part
relay transmission mail and includes at least one text contents
part and the non-text contents parts into a facsimile transfer data
file when said determining step determines that said received
electronic mail is a multi-part relay transmission mail and
includes at least one non-text contents part; and sending said
continuous facsimile image information and said facsimile transfer
data file in one transmission session in a successive page format
through said error correction mode procedure in said transmitting
step to said destination facsimile machine having said telephone
number read in said reading step from said received relay
transmission mail.
18. A method of electronic mail relay transmission, comprising the
steps of: receiving electronic mail via a local area network and
the Internet; transmitting facsimile data including facsimile image
information and a facsimile data file through facsimile
communications procedures including an error correction mode
procedure via a public switched telephone network; determining
whether electronic mail received in said receiving step is a
multi-part relay transmission mail and whether each part of a
received multi-part relay transmission mail includes text contents
when said received electronic mail is a multi-part relay
transmission mail; reading a telephone number of a destination
facsimile machine from said received relay transmission mail; first
step of converting contents included in said received electronic
mail into facsimile image information when said determining step
determines that said received electronic mail is a non-multi-part
relay transmission mail and includes text contents and into a
facsimile transfer data file when said determining step determines
that said received electronic mail is a non-multi-part relay
transmission mail and includes non-text contents; first step of
sending one of said facsimile image information and said facsimile
transfer data file which has undergone said first step of
converting, through said transmitting step to said destination
facsimile machine having said telephone number read in said reading
step from said received non-multi-part relay transmission mail;
second step of converting the text contents parts of said received
electronic mail into continuous facsimile image information when
said determining step determines that said received electronic mail
is a multi-part relay transmission mail and includes at least one
text contents part and the non-text contents parts into a facsimile
transfer data file when said determining step determines that said
received electronic mail is a multi-part relay transmission mail
and includes at least one non-text contents part; and second step
of sending said continuous facsimile image information and said
facsimile transfer data file which have undergone said second step
of converting, in one transmission session in a successive page
format through said error correction mode in said transmission step
to said destination facsimile machine having said telephone number
read in said reading step from said received relay transmission
mail.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Field
[0002] The disclosed system and method relate to a network
facsimile apparatus, and more particularly to a network facsimile
apparatus which can relay electronic mail to a destination
facsimile machine.
[0003] 2. Discussion
[0004] Network facsimile machines have been developed which
exchange E-mail (electronic mail) with other terminals via a local
area network and the Internet and, in addition, exchange facsimile
data with other facsimile machines via a public switched telephone
network (PSTN) using facsimile communications procedures. Such
network facsimile machines can relay facsimile image information to
a destination facsimile machine in response to receiving, over a
local area network of the Internet, E-mail that contains such
facsimile image information and a telephone number for the
destination facsimile machine. By using a local area network or the
Internet for a part of the transmission path, a user can benefit
from cost savings as compared with transmitting the same
information directly to the destination facsimile machine using
only conventional facsimile transmission through the PSTN.
[0005] E-mail as widely used in various communications systems,
including local area networks and the Internet, can use
multipurpose Internet mail extensions (MIME) format to convey not
only a text message but also a data file that contains arbitrary
data that may be text data and/or image data. However, a Group 3
facsimile machine uses a different format to transmit a data file
that contains arbitrary data that can be text data and/or image
data--it uses an error correction mode (ECM) protocol.
[0006] It is believed that there has not been a practical system in
which a network facsimile machine can reliably relay to a
destination facsimile machine, E-mail containing not only facsimile
data which already is in the appropriate format for transmission
between facsimile machines over but also arbitrary data that can
include a text message as well as image data.
SUMMARY
[0007] The disclosed system and method provide a novel network
facsimile machine and network facsimile method of relaying E-mail
to a destination facsimile machine.
[0008] In a particular and non-limiting example of the disclosed
system and method, a novel network facsimile machine includes an
electronic mail receiver for receiving electronic mail via a local
area network and the Internet, a facsimile transmitter for
transmitting facsimile data including facsimile image information
and a facsimile data file through facsimile communications
procedures via PSTN, a mail analyzer for analyzing if received
electronic mail is a relay transmission mail and if a received
relay transmission mail includes text and for reading a telephone
number of a destination facsimile machine from the received relay
transmission mail, and a relay transmission controller for
converting the received electronic mail into facsimile image
information when the mail analyzer determines that the received
electronic mail is a relay transmission mail and includes text and
into a facsimile transfer data file when the mail analyzer
determines that the received electronic mail is a relay
transmission mail and includes non-text contents and for
transmitting one of the facsimile image information and the
facsimile transfer data file through the facsimile transmitter to
the destination facsimile machine having the telephone number read
by the mail analyzer from the received relay transmission mail.
[0009] In another non-limiting example of the disclosed system and
method, a network facsimile machine includes an electronic mail
receiver for receiving electronic mail via a local area network and
the Internet, a facsimile transmitter for transmitting facsimile
data including facsimile image information and a facsimile data
file through facsimile communications procedures via a public
switched telephone network, a mail analyzer for determining whether
electronic mail received through the electronic mail receiver is a
multi-part relay transmission mail and whether each part of a
received multi-part relay transmission mail includes text and for
reading a telephone number of a destination facsimile machine from
the received relay transmission mail, and a relay transmission
controller for converting each relevant part of the received
electronic mail into facsimile image information when the mail
analyzer determines that the received electronic mail is a
multi-part relay transmission mail and includes at least one part
which is text and into a facsimile transfer data file when the mail
analyzer determines that the received electronic mail is a
multi-part relay transmission mail and includes at least one
non-text part and for transmitting all of the facsimile image
information and all of the facsimile transfer data files in one
transmission session through the facsimile transmitter to the
destination facsimile machine having the telephone number read by
the mail analyzer from the received relay transmission mail.
[0010] In a non-limiting example, a novel method of electronic mail
relay transmission includes the steps of receiving electronic mail
via a local area network and the Internet, transmitting facsimile
data including facsimile image information and a facsimile data
file through facsimile communications procedures via a public
switched telephone network, analyzing to determine whether
electronic mail received through the electronic mail receiver is a
relay transmission mail and whether a received relay transmission
mail includes text, reading a telephone number of a destination
facsimile machine from the received relay transmission mail,
converting the received electronic mail into facsimile image
information when the mail analyzer determines that the received
electronic mail is a relay transmission mail and includes text and
into a facsimile transfer data file when the mail analyzer
determines that the received electronic mail is a relay
transmission mail and includes non-text contents, and transmitting
one of the facsimile image information and the facsimile transfer
data file through the facsimile transmitter to the destination
facsimile machine having the telephone number read by the mail
analyzer from the received relay transmission mail.
[0011] In yet another non-limiting example, a novel method of
electronic mail relay transmission includes the steps of receiving
electronic mail via a local area network and the Internet,
transmitting facsimile data including facsimile image information
and a facsimile data file through facsimile communications
procedures via a public switched telephone network, analyzing
whether an electronic mail received through the electronic mail
receiver is a multi-part relay transmission mail and whether each
part of a received multi-part relay transmission mail includes
text, reading a telephone number of a destination facsimile machine
from the received relay transmission mail, converting the parts of
the content of the received electronic mail into facsimile image
information when the mail analyzer determines that the received
electronic mail is a multi-part relay transmission mail and
includes at least one text part and into a facsimile transfer data
file when the mail analyzer determines that the received electronic
mail is a multi-part relay transmission mail and includes at least
one non-text part, and transmitting all of the facsimile image
information and all of the facsimile transfer data files by one
transmission time through the facsimile transmitter to the
destination facsimile machine having the telephone number read by
the mail analyzer from the received relay transmission mail.
[0012] Other features and advantages of the disclosed system and
method will become apparent from the following detailed description
when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
[0013] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No.
JPAP09-084633 filed in the Japanese Patent Office on Mar. 19, 1997,
the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by
reference.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] A more complete appreciation of the disclosed system and
method and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily
obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the
following detailed description when considered in connection with
the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic communications
system including a novel network facsimile apparatus.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the network facsimile apparatus
included in the electronic communications system of FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a destination Group 3 facsimile
machine included in the electronic communications system of FIG.
1;
[0018] FIGS. 4 and 5 are examples of relay transmission request
E-mails to be transmitted to the network facsimile apparatus of
FIG. 2;
[0019] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an exemplary relay transmission
operation performed by the network facsimile apparatus of FIG.
2;
[0020] FIG. 7 is an example of a multi-part relay transmission
request E-mail to be transmitted to the network facsimile apparatus
of FIG. 2;
[0021] FIGS. 8 and 9 are examples of procedures of the multi-part
relay transmission operation performed by the network facsimile
apparatus of FIG. 2;
[0022] FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b) are flowcharts of an exemplary
multi-part relay transmission operation performed by the network
facsimile apparatus of FIG. 2;
[0023] FIGS. 11(a)-11(c) are flowcharts of another exemplary
multi-part relay transmission operation performed by the network
facsimile apparatus of FIG. 2; and
[0024] FIG. 12 is an exemplary list of header information for a
data file contained by an exemplary relay transmission request
E-mail to be transmitted to the network facsimile apparatus of FIG.
2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] In describing preferred embodiments illustrated in the
drawings, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity.
However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the
specific terminology so selected and it is to be understood that
each specific element includes all technical equivalents which
operate in a similar manner.
[0026] Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference
numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the
several views, FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary electronic
communications system including a network facsimile apparatus (NF)
100. The electronic communications system of FIG. 1 includes
various types of electronic communications networks such as a
domain (DM) 101 that includes a local area network (LAN) 102, a
public switched telephone network (PSTN) 110, the Internet 120, and
possibly other network which are not specifically illustrated.
[0027] The LAN 102 connects various devices, including the
above-mentioned network facsimile apparatus 100, a plurality of
client terminals (CL) 103, a mail server (SV) 104, and a router
(RT) 105, and allows communication among them. The PSTN 110
connects a plurality of communications terminals including a Group
3 facsimile machine FAX 111 to allow communications among these
terminals. The Internet 120 connects a plurality of domains (DMs),
including the DM 101 and a DM 121 that has a structure similar to
that of the DM 101, and allows communications among the
domains.
[0028] The network facsimile apparatus 100 is connected to the LAN
102 and the PSTN 110, and the RT 105 is connected to the LAN 102
and the Internet 120. Through these connections, the LAN 102 has a
connection to the plurality of terminals including the FAX 111 and
to the plurality of domains such as the DM 121.
[0029] The FAX 111 transmits and receives image information through
a Group 3 facsimile communications procedure and transmits and
receives an arbitrary data file under a Group 3 facsimile file
transfer procedure and stores the received arbitrary data file into
a memory, such as a floppy disk or the like, for example, using an
arbitrary file system.
[0030] The DM 101 has a network address. Each of the CLs 103, the
SV 104, and the network facsimile apparatus 100, which are
connected to the DM 101, has an individual network address which is
usually based on its individual address coupled with the network
address of the DM 101. Such an individual network address is
referred to as an individual host address. A user who uses a client
terminal in the DM 101 is provided with an individual user address
which is usually based on the user's name coupled with the
above-mentioned individual host address of the client terminal.
[0031] The network facsimile apparatus 100 sends and receives
electronic mail (E-mail) to and from other terminal machines
through the LAN 102 using communications procedures which are
explained later. The network facsimile apparatus 100 further has
general facsimile capabilities including a Group 3 facsimile
communications capability for transmitting and receiving facsimile
image information and a Group 3 facsimile file transfer capability
for transmitting and receiving a data file including arbitrary
binary data including text and image information created under an
arbitrary application, to and from destination facsimile machines
through the PSTN 110.
[0032] Generally, a so-called protocol suite is applied for
communications between machines connected to local area networks
and via the Internet. In an operation of the protocol suite, a
communication protocol, so-called TCP/IP (transmission control
protocol/Internet protocol) and another communication protocol are
used in combination for up to a transport layer of an OSI (open
systems interconnection), and for the layers higher than the
transport layer, respectively. For example, an SMTP (simple mail
transfer protocol) is used as a higher layer protocol for
communications such as E-mail.
[0033] The LAN 102 of FIG. 1 employs a mail server system, in which
an incoming E-mail is first stored in the SV 104 and then sent to a
destination client terminal. Specifically, when a destination
address attached to the E-mail is the network address assigned to
the DM 101, the mail server system stores the E-mail into the SV
104. When the E-mail has a destination address other than the one
assigned to the DM 101, the mail server system transmits the E-mail
to the Internet 120 via the RT 105, and the E-mail is sent to a
domain or a host machine which has a network address corresponding
to the destination address attached to the E-mail through a data
transmission function of the Internet 120.
[0034] At a certain interval, each of the CLs 103 and the network
facsimile apparatus 100 requests the SV 104 to check if the SV 104
is storing an incoming E-mail addressed to a user of the requesting
machine. When an E-mail addressed to the user of the requesting
machine is stored in the SV 104, the mail server system transmits
the E-mail to the requesting machine. Upon receiving the E-mail,
the requesting machine indicates to the user that there is an
incoming E-mail. In the example being described, the network
facsimile apparatus 100 has an E-mail address to exchange E-mail
and uses it as a user address. The protocol is a POP (post office
protocol), for example, to be applied for the communications from
the CLs and the network facsimile apparatus 100 to the SV 104 to
request the incoming check as described above.
[0035] Each of the above-mentioned communication protocols, such as
the TCP/IP, SMTP, and POP, as well as the data format and structure
of the E-mail are defined in an RFC (request for comments)
published by an IETF (Internet engineering task force). For
example, the TCP and IP are defined in an RFC793, the SMTP in an
RFC821, and the data format and structure of the E-mail in an
RFC822, RFC1521, RFC1522, and RFC1468.
[0036] In this way, one of the preferred structures of an
electronic communications system including the network facsimile
apparatus 100 of the disclosed system is arranged.
[0037] Next, an exemplary structure of the network facsimile
apparatus 100 is explained with reference to FIG. 2. The network
facsimile apparatus 100 includes a system controller 1, a system
memory 2, a parameter memory 3, a clock circuit 4, a scanner 5, a
printer 6, a display panel unit 7, an encoding/decoding unit 8, an
image memory 9, a Group 3 facsimile modem 10, a network controller
11, a LAN (local area network) interface 12, a LAN (local area
network) data transmission controller 13, and an internal bus
14.
[0038] The system controller 1 controls an entire system of the
network facsimile apparatus 100 and, specifically, performs various
kinds of controls, including a facsimile data transmission control
for transmitting and receiving image information and an arbitrary
data file. The system memory 2 stores control programs to be
performed by the system controller 1 and various kinds of data
necessary for the execution of the control programs. In addition,
the system memory 2 includes a working memory area reserved for use
of the system controller 1. The parameter memory 3 stores various
kinds of parameters and information specific to the network
facsimile apparatus 100. The clock circuit 4 generates information
of the present time.
[0039] The scanner 5 reads an image of document at a predetermined
resolution. The printer 6 produces an image output at a
predetermined resolution. The display panel unit 7 includes various
kinds of operational keys and indicators facilitating the
interfacing between an operator and the network facsimile apparatus
100.
[0040] The encoding/decoding unit 8 encodes an input image signal
to compress information the image information and decodes the
compressed information back into the input image signal. The
transmission data memory 9 stores data including the compressed
image data and data files to be transmitted.
[0041] The Group 3 facsimile modem 10 performs the functions of a
modem for the Group 3 facsimile machine and includes a low-speed
modem function, such as a V.21 modem, for transmitting and
receiving communication protocols and a high-speed modem function,
such as V.17, V.34, V.29, V.27ter modems, for mainly transmitting
and receiving image information. The network controller 11 includes
an automatic transmitting and receiving function and controls the
connection of the network facsimile apparatus 100 to the PSTN
110.
[0042] The LAN interface 12 interfaces the connection between the
LAN data transmission controller 13 and the LAN 102 constructed-in
the DM 101. The LAN data transmission controller 13 controls
communications, using a predetermined protocol suite, for
exchanging various kinds of data with the machines of the DM 101
via the LAN 102 and other data terminal machines via the Internet
120 and the LAN 102.
[0043] The internal bus 14 is connected to all of the
above-described units of the network facsimile apparatus 100,
except for the LAN interface 12 which has a connection to the LAN
data transmission controller 13, and allows the communications
between these units therethrough. The network controller 11 has
direct connections to the Group 3 facsimile modem 10.
[0044] In this way, one of the preferred structures of the network
facsimile apparatus 100 is arranged.
[0045] Next, an exemplary structure of the FAX 111 is explained
with reference to FIG. 3. The FAX 111 includes a system controller
21, a system memory 22, a parameter memory 23, a clock circuit 24,
a scanner 25, a printer 26, a display panel unit 27, an
encoding/decoding unit 28, an image memory 29, a Group 3 facsimile
modem 30, a network controller 31, a LAN (local area network)
interface 12, a floppy disk drive unit 32, and an internal bus
33.
[0046] The system controller 21 controls an entire system of the
FAX 111 and, specifically, performs various controls including a
facsimile data transmission control for transmitting and receiving
image information and a data file that contains arbitrary binary
data. The system memory 22 stores control programs to be performed
by the system controller 21 as well as various kinds of data
necessary for the execution of the control programs, and includes a
working memory area for use of the system controller 21. The
parameter memory 23 stores various kinds of parameters and
information specific to the FAX 111. The clock circuit 24 generates
clock information.
[0047] The scanner 25 reads an image of document at a predetermined
resolution. The printer 26 produces an image output at a
predetermined resolution. The display panel unit 27 includes
various kinds of operational keys and indicators to facilitate the
interfacing between an operator and the FAX 111.
[0048] The encoding/decoding unit 28 encodes an input image signal
to compress the image information for the transmission operation,
and decodes compressed information back into information to be
outputted. The transmission data memory 29 stores information
including image data and data files to be transmitted.
[0049] The Group 3 facsimile modem 30 performs the functions of a
modem for the Group 3 facsimile machine and includes a low-speed
modem function, such as a V.21 modem, for transmitting and
receiving communication protocols and a high-speed modem function,
such as V.17, V.34, V.29, V.27ter modems, for mainly transmitting
and receiving image information. The network controller 31 includes
an automatic transmitting and receiving function and controls
connections of the FAX 111 to the PSTN 110.
[0050] The floppy disk drive unit 32 writes arbitrary binary data
contained in the received data files onto a floppy disk which is a
removable data storage medium, using an arbitrary file format.
[0051] The internal bus 33 is connected to all of the
above-described units of the FAX 111 and allows the communications
between the units therethrough. The network controller 31 has
direct connections to the Group 3 facsimile modem 30.
[0052] In this way, one of the preferred structures of the
facsimile machine FAX 111 is arranged.
[0053] The network facsimile apparatus 100 is capable of executing
a relay transmission function for relaying a specific E-mail
referred to as a relay transmission request E-mail. The relay
transmission request E-mail contains a text message and/or a data
file including arbitrary binary data. A relay transmission request
E-mail is generated by an arbitrary terminal machine and sent via
the Internet 120 to the network facsimile apparatus 100. Upon
receiving the relay transmission request E-mail, the network
facsimile apparatus 100 performs a relay transmission operation to
transmit the E-mail to a destination facsimile machine designated
by the relay transmission request E-mail.
[0054] That is, the E-mail is transmitted from a remote calling
terminal machine, for example, via the Internet 120 to the network
facsimile apparatus 100 and then transmitted from the network
facsimile apparatus 100 via the PSTN 110 to the FAX 111, for
example. When the FAX 110 is close to the network facsimile
apparatus 100, the cost for the transmission of the text message
and/or data file in the above-described way can be reduced
significantly as compared to the case of transmitting the same
information without using the relay transmission request E-mail but
exclusively through the PSTN.
[0055] The text message and/or data file contained in the relay
transmission request E-mail are handled differently during relay
transmission operations. For example, a text message is converted
into transfer image information so as to be transmitted using the
facsimile data transmission procedure, while a data file is
transmitted under the Group 3 facsimile file transfer
procedure.
[0056] Next, one of examples of a relay transmission request E-mail
for requesting a text message relay transmission is explained with
reference to FIG. 4. An E-mail 40 illustrated in FIG. 4 is one of
examples of a relay transmission request E-mail for requesting a
text message relay transmission to a destination facsimile machine,
i.e. the FAX 111, for example. The E-mail 40 is composed of a
header and contents. The header includes various information fields
including a "Date" field for indicating time and date of
transmission, a "Message-ID (identification)" field for information
for identifying a message, a "From" field for indicating a sender's
name, a "To" field for indicating a receiver' name, and a "Subject"
field for indicating a title of message.
[0057] In the "To" field of the E-mail 40, supplemental information
in parentheses, such as (relay: 0123-4567-8901), specifies a relay
transmission request and a destination of the E-mail 40. As such,
parenthesized information is read as a meaningful comment in the
E-mail system. More specifically, an E-mail which includes a word
"relay" in the "To" field thereof is determined as a relay
transmission request mail. Further, information following the word
"relay" with a colon ":" in between is a telephone number for a
destination facsimile machine. The "To" field can indicate a
plurality of telephone numbers and, in such a case, the E-mail is
sent to all the addresses specified by the plurality of the
telephone numbers.
[0058] A general requirements for E-mail is to use machine-readable
7-bit codes to write contents. A MIME (multipurpose Internet mail
extensions) format according to the RFC1521 and RFC1522 is one of
the formats which meets the above requirement. The E-mail 40 is
assumed to have contents which are a message in Japanese and which
are therefore composed of 2-byte Japanese symbol/character codes.
This Japanese message may become non-readable when converted into
the MIME format and, therefore, the message is expressed using
readable Japanese symbols/characters for the sake of convenience.
When the message is converted into the MIME format, a "charset",
which is explained later, and a conversion of the Japanese
character code set are designated in accordance with the
RFC1468.
[0059] The E-mail header further includes a "MIME-Version" field
for indicating a version of the MIME format, a "Content-Type" field
for indicating the type of contents, and a
"Content-Transfer-Encoding" field for indicating an encoding method
applied to a conversion of the contents.
[0060] The E-mail header thus identifies properties of the contents
of the E-mail and, accordingly, the contents have a text composed
of codes contained in a character code set in accordance with the
RFC1468.
[0061] More specifically, in the case of E-mail 40, the
"MIME-Version" field indicates a value "1.0", and the
"Content-Type" field indicates a "text/plain" for indicating that
the contents are a text and a "charset="ISO-2022-JP"" for
indicating that a character code set is defined by an ISO-2022-JP.
Further, the "Content-Transfer-Encoding" field indicates a "7 bits"
for indicating that the contents are composed of 7-bit codes.
[0062] In the way as described above, the relay transmission
request E-mail for requesting a text message transmission is
arranged.
[0063] Next, an example of a relay transmission request E-mail for
requesting a relay transmission of an arbitrary data file is
explained with reference to FIG. 5. An E-mail 41 illustrated in
FIG. 5 is an example of a relay transmission request E-mail for
requesting a transmission of an arbitrary data file to a
destination, i.e. the FAX 111, for example. The header of the
E-mail 41 of FIG. 5 is similar to the E-mail 40 of FIG. 4, except
for the following several pieces of information.
[0064] The "Content-Type" field of the E-mail 41 indicates an
"application/octet-stream" for indicating that the contents of the
E-mail 41 are a data file that contains arbitrary application file
data and a "name="bunsyo.doc"" for indicting a name of the data
file. The "Content-Transfer-Encoding" field of the E-mail 41
indicates a "base 64" for indicating that an applied encoding
method is a base 64, which defines rules for data conversion from
binary data into 7-bit readable information. In this case, the data
file having a file name of "bunsyo.doc" is converted using the base
64 and further converted into the MIME format so as to be
transmitted to the network facsimile apparatus 100 as the contents
of the E-mail 41.
[0065] When the network facsimile apparatus 100 receives the
thus-arranged E-mail 41, it examines a value of the "To" field. If
the "To" field includes the term "relay", the network facsimile
apparatus 100 recognizes that the received E-mail 41 is a relay
transmission request E-mail that requests a relay transmission to a
facsimile machine specified by a telephone number placed after the
word "relay" in the "To" field of the header contained in the
received E-mail 41. When the network facsimile apparatus 100
recognizes that the received E-mail 41 is a relay transmission
request E-mail, it examines the "Content-Type" field to determine
whether the contents are text or not. When the contents are text,
the network facsimile apparatus 100 decodes the contents back into
original symbol/character codes, which are the Japanese
symbol/character codes in the case of the E-mail 41, in accordance
with the rules indicated by the information of the
"Content-Transfer-Encoding" field. The network facsimile apparatus
100 subsequently generates image data that represent original
Japanese symbols/characters corresponding to the original
symbol/character codes and then compresses the image data. Then,
the network facsimile apparatus 100 initiates a call to the FAX
111, for example, to transmit the thus-compressed image data.
[0066] When the contents are not text, the network facsimile
apparatus 100 determines that the contents are data of an arbitrary
application file and then decodes the contents back into an
original data file in accordance with the base 64, so as to
generate a transfer data file. Then, the network facsimile
apparatus 100 initiates a call to the FAX 111, for example, so as
to transmit the transfer data file thereto through a Group 3
facsimile file transfer procedure. In this event, the transfer data
file to be transferred preferably indicates the file name
"bunsyo.doc", which is indicated in the "Content-Type" field of the
received E-mail 41, in a header of the transfer data file.
[0067] Upon receiving image information through the Group 3
facsimile communications procedure, the FAX 111 decodes the
information into original image data and then produces an image
output based on the original image data. Also, upon receiving a
data file transferred through the Group 3 facsimile file transfer
procedure, the FAX 111 stores the data file into a floppy disk
loaded in the floppy disk drive unit 32.
[0068] In this way, the network facsimile apparatus 100 is capable
of easily performing the relay transmission operation for relaying
a text and an arbitrary application data file to a designated
facsimile machine via the PSTN 110. As a result, the use of the
electronic communications system of FIG. 1 becomes more efficient.
This is in part because the relay transmission operation by the
network facsimile apparatus 100 can significantly reduce the cost
of data transmission, particularly when long distance data
transmission is involved.
[0069] Next, an examples of the relay transmission operation by the
network facsimile apparatus 100 is explained with reference to FIG.
6. When the network facsimile apparatus 100 receives one of the
above-described types of E-mails 40 and 41, the system controller 1
thereof determines whether the "To" field in the header of the
received E-mail includes the word "relay", in Step S101 of FIG. 6,
so as to determine if the received E-mail is a relay transmission
request E-mail. When the word "relay" is not included in the "To"
field and the determination result of Step S101 is NO, the system
controller 1 proceeds to Step S102 and performs a general operation
for the E-mail receiving procedure. Then, the process ends.
[0070] When the word "relay" is included in the "To" field and the
determination result of Step S101 is YES, the system controller 1
determines that the received E-mail is requesting relay
transmission. Then, the process proceeds to Step S103 and the
system controller 1 determines whether the "Content-Type" in the
header includes the word "text" so as to determine if the content
of the received E-mail is text.
[0071] When the word "text" is included in the "Content-Type" and
the determination result of Step S103 is YES, the system controller
1 determines that the content of the received E-mail is text and
the process proceeds to Step S104. Then, in Step S104, the system
controller 1 instructs the encoding/decoding unit 8 to decode the
contents of the received E-mail in the MIME format back into
original symbol/character codes, which is the Japanese
symbol/character codes in this case, in accordance with the
information indicated in the "Content-Transfer-Encodi- ng" field
and then to convert the original Japanese symbol/character codes
into corresponding image data. Then, in Step S105, the system
controller 1 further instructs the encoding/decoding unit 8 to
compresses the thus-created image data and to form transfer image
information to be transmitted. Then, the system controller 1 stores
the compressed transfer image information into the image memory 9,
in Step S106.
[0072] When the received E-mail is not the E-mail 40 but the E-mail
41, the "Content-Type" does not include the word "text" and the
determination result of Step S103 is NO. In this case, the system
controller 1 determines that the contents of the received E-mail
are arbitrary application file data. Then, the process proceeds to
Step S107. The system controller 1 instructs the encoding/decoding
unit 8 to decode the contents of the MIME formatted mail back into
original arbitrary application file data in accordance with the
base 64, which is indicated in the "Content-Transfer-Encoding"
field. Based on the above original arbitrary application file data,
in Step S108, the system controller 1 further instructs the
encoding/decoding unit 8 to create a transfer data file to be
transferred through the Group 3 facsimile file transfer procedure.
Then, the process proceeds to Step S106 and the system controller 1
stores the transfer data file into the image memory 9.
[0073] Also, in Step S108, the system controller 1 arranges to give
several kinds of header information necessary to the transfer data
file, which are explained later.
[0074] In Step S109, the system controller 1 instructs the network
controller 11 to originate a call according to a telephone number
indicated after the word "relay" in the "To" field. In Step S110,
the network controller 11 performs a pre-transmission operation to
set a transfer function depending upon the type of transmission. In
this event, the network controller 11 sets the ECM mode to transfer
the image information or the file transfer mode to transfer the
data file. In Step S111, the network controller 11 further performs
a general modem training operation at a certain modem speed to
determine a suitable modem speed. Then, in Step S112, the image
information or the data file is transferred to a destination.
[0075] After completing transmission, the network controller 11
performs a general after-transmission operation, in Step S113.
Then, the network controller 11 disconnect the line in Step S114,
thereby ending the relay transmission operation.
[0076] In this way, the network facsimile apparatus 100 performs
the relay transmission operation when it receives one of the relay
transmission request E-mails 40 and 41.
[0077] The user may need to have some idea of the contents before
decoding the MIME-formatted data when receiving at the FAX 111 the
relayed E-mail having the arbitrary application data file contents
in the MIME format. For this purpose, a kind of delivery note such
as a headline, for example, with respect to the arbitrary
application data file, can preferably be transferred together with
the arbitrary application data file during the relay transmission
operation. By receiving such a delivery note, the user can
conveniently get some idea about the contents of the arbitrary
application data file contained in the relayed E-mail before
decoding the MIME-formatted data. An E-mail in a so-called
multi-part MIME (multipurpose Internet mail extensions) format is
useful for this purpose.
[0078] Next, an example of a relay transmission request E-mail
having the above-mentioned multi-part MIME format is explained with
reference to FIG. 7. An E-mail 42 illustrated in FIG. 7 is a relay
transmission request E-mail having the multi-part MIME format for
requesting a relay transmission to the destination facsimile
machine FAX 111, for example. As shown in FIG. 7, the E-mail 42
includes three information files and a common header. A first
information file X1 contains text contents Y1. Second and third
information files X2 and X3 contain data file contents Y2 and Y3,
respectively, which are converted from arbitrary application file
data according to the base 64. Each of the first, second, and third
information files X1, X2, and X3 includes sub-headers which are
referred to as first, second, and third headers Z1, Z2, and Z3. The
common header Z0 is arranged on top of the first information file
X1.
[0079] The "Content-Type" field in the common header Z0 contains
the words "multi-part/mixed" for indicating that the present E-mail
includes multiple information files X1, X2, and X3, including
multiple contents Y1, Y2, and Y3, respectively, in the multi-part
MIME format. The common header Z0 further includes a "boundary"
field for indicating a series of characters which represents a
boundary between two adjacent information files. Each of the
sub-headers Z1, Z2, and Z3 includes the boundary, "Content-Type",
and "Content-Transfer-Encoding" fields, as illustrated in FIG.
7.
[0080] When receiving this type of E-mail, the network facsimile
apparatus 100 handles the respective information files in a way
that distinguishes the type of contents. When the file is the text
information file and the contents thereof accordingly are text, the
network facsimile apparatus 100 converts the contents into original
symbol/character codes according to the information in the
"Content-Transfer-Encoding" field. In the case of the E-mail 42,
the contents Y1, which is text, are converted into original
Japanese symbol/character codes. Then, the network facsimile
apparatus 100 generates image data for depicting Japanese symbols
and characters corresponding to the original Japanese
symbol/character codes. The thus-generated image data are
compressed so that transfer image information for the contents Y1
of the image information file X1 is generated so as to be
transmitted to a designated destination facsimile machine, i.e. FAX
111, for example.
[0081] When the information file is a data file, the network
facsimile apparatus 100 determines that the contents of the
information file are arbitrary application file data and,
therefore, decodes the contents into an original data file
according to the base 64 encoding method. Based on the
thus-generated data file, a transfer data file is created so as to
be transmitted to a designated destination facsimile machine, i.e.
FAX 111, for example. The transfer data file includes a header
indicating various types of information, and it is preferable to
indicate in the header the file name, i.e. "xxxxxx" indicated in
the "Content-Type" field of the received E-mail 42.
[0082] After completing the above-described preparations, the
network facsimile apparatus 100 initiates a call to the designated
destination facsimile machine, i.e. FAX 111, for example, and
transmits the appropriate transfer image information and transfer
data files thereto. During this operation, each of the image
information files and each of the data files exclusively share an
individual set of pages and an individual data file,
respectively.
[0083] In this way, the network facsimile apparatus 100 performs
the multi-part MIME formatted relay transmission operation when
receiving a relay transmission request E-mail according to the
multi-part MIME format.
[0084] Next, an exemplary way of transmitting multiple information
files contained in an exemplary multi-part MIME formatted relay
transmission request E-mail is explained with reference to FIG. 8.
A data transmission procedure of FIG. 8 is based on the case when
the network facsimile apparatus 100 receives the E-mail 42 of FIG.
7. The transmitter and receiver in FIG. 8 are the network facsimile
apparatus 100 and the FAX 111, respectively, for example.
[0085] In FIG. 8, the network facsimile apparatus 100 calls the FAX
111 and performs a general pre-transmission procedure. At this
time, the network facsimile apparatus 100 establishes an ECM/MMR
(error correction mode/modified modified read) data transmission
mode which is referred to as a mode 1, since information to be
first transmitted in the E-mail 42 of FIG. 7 is the first
information file which is image information. Then, a modem training
operation is performed, in which a relatively high transmission
speed for image information is determined. Upon a completion of the
modem training operation, the first information file is read from
the image memory 9 and transmitted to the FAX 111 through the ECM
(error correction mode) procedure, which step is referred to as a
transfer 1. After the step of the transfer 1, the network facsimile
apparatus 100 sends a PPS-EOM (partial page signal-end of massage)
as a post-transmission signal to the FAX 111 so as to return a
transmission phase to a so-called phase B which is for transmission
of protocols at a relatively low transmission speed.
[0086] Since the information file to be next transmitted is the
second information file which is a data file, the network facsimile
apparatus 100 establishes an ECM/BFT (error correction mode/binary
file transfer) data transmission mode which is referred to as a
mode 2. Then, a modem training operation is performed, in which a
relatively high transmission speed for a data file is determined.
After the modem training operation, the second information file is
read from the image memory 9 and transmitted to the FAX 111 through
the file transfer procedure, which step is referred to as a
transfer 2. Upon completing the step of transfer 2, the network
facsimile apparatus 100 sends a PPS-EOM (partial page signal-end of
massage) as a post-transmission signal to the FAX 111 so as to
return a transmission phase to the phase B again.
[0087] The following information file to be further transmitted is
the third information file which is again a data file, and the
network facsimile apparatus 100 establishes an ECM/BFT (error
correction mode/binary file transfer) data transmission mode in the
same manner as described above for the second information file. The
established transmission mode is referred to as a mode 3. The modem
training operation is performed. Then, the third information file
is read from the memory 9 to the FAX 111 and transmitted through
the file transfer procedure, which step is referred to as a
transfer 3. Upon completing the step of transfer 3, the network
facsimile apparatus 100 performs a general post-transmission
procedure to disconnect the line and then ends the relay
transmission operation.
[0088] During the transmission procedures described above, the
transmission phase is returned to the phase B each time of
transmission. Since protocol communications in the phase B can be
started only after a time out, counted by a timer T2 (not shown),
according to the Group 3 facsimile transmission procedure, the
network facsimile apparatus 100 is required to wait for a period of
a time-out T2, i.e. 6 seconds, each time.
[0089] Next, an exemplary modified way of transmitting multiple
information files contained in the multi-part MIME formatted relay
transmission request E-mail is explained with reference to FIG. 9.
A data transmission procedure of FIG. 9 is similar to that shown in
FIG. 8, except for an elimination of the mode 3 and some relevant
steps for returning to phase B. That is, the second and third
information files are successively transmitted as if they are one
continuous file. After the step of transfer 2, the network
facsimile apparatus 100 sends a PPS-MPS (partial page
signal-multiple page signal) as a post-transmission signal to
return to the data transmission phase, so as to transmit the third
information file continuously following the second information file
transfer procedure. In this way, the network facsimile apparatus
100 can avoid the return step to phase B and relevant steps when
receiving the multi-part MIME formatted relay transmission request
E-mail that contains a plurality of data files. As a result, the
network facsimile apparatus 100 can perform a relatively high speed
relay transmission operation.
[0090] Next, an exemplary performance of the network facsimile
apparatus 100 upon a receipt of a multi-part MIME formatted relay
transmission request E-mail is explained with reference to FIGS.
10(a) and 10(b). In Step S201 of FIG. 10(a), the system controller
1 of the network facsimile apparatus 100 examines a value of the
"To" field of the header of the received E-mail to determine
whether the "To" field includes the word "relay". If the "To" field
does not includes the word "relay" and the result of Step S201 is
NO, the system controller 1 determines that the received E-mail is
not a relay transmission request E-mail and the process proceeds to
Step S202 to process the received E-mail through a predetermined
E-mail receiving procedure. Then, the process ends.
[0091] When the "To" field of the header of the received E-mail
includes the word "relay" and the result of Step S201 is YES, the
system controller 1 determines that the received E-mail is a relay
transmission request E-mail and the process proceeds to Step S203
to further examine a value of the "Content-Type" field of the
header of the received relay transmission request E-mail to
determine whether the "Content-Type" field includes the word
"multi-part". When the "Content-Type" field includes the word
"multi-part" and the result of Step S203 is YES, the system
controller 1 determines that the received relay transmission
request E-mail is a multi-part MIME formatted relay transmission
request E-mail and that the header of the mail is the common header
Z0 and the process proceeds to Step S204. Then, in Step S204, the
system controller 1 detects the series of characters for the
boundary successively followed by the "Content-Type" field to find
the sub-headers, such as the Z1, Z2, Z3, and so forth.
[0092] When the network facsimile apparatus 100 finds the
sub-header Z1 and the result of Step S204 is YES, the process
proceeds to Step S205 and the system controller 1 further examines
a value of the "Content-Type" field contained in the sub-header Z1
to determine whether the "Content-Type" field includes the word
"text". When the "Content-Type" field of the sub-header Z1 includes
the word "text" and the result of Step S205 is YES, the system
controller 1 determines that the contents of the information file
having the sub-header Z1 is a MIME formatted text. Then, in Step
S206, the MIME formatted text after the sub-header Z1 is decoded
back into original symbol/character codes, which is the Japanese
symbol/character codes in this exemplary case, according to the
decoding method indicated in the "Content-Transfer-Encoding" field.
Based on the thus-obtained original Japanese symbol/character
codes, corresponding image data is generated. In Step S207, the
image data is compressed so that transfer image information to be
transmitted to a destination is generated. In Step S207, the
thus-compressed transfer image information is stored into the image
memory 9. Then, the process returns to Step S204 to find the next
sub-header.
[0093] When the "Content-Type" field of the sub-header Z1 does not
include the word "text" and the result of Step S205 is NO, the
system controller 1 determines that the contents of the information
file having the sub-header Z1 are arbitrary application file data.
Then, the process proceeds to Step S209. In Step S209, the MIME
formatted arbitrary application file data after the sub-header Z2
are decoded into original arbitrary application file data using the
base 64 indicated in the "Content-Transfer-Encoding" field.
Subsequently, in Step S210, the original arbitrary application file
data are compressed so as to generate a transfer data file to be
transferred to the destination through the file transfer procedure.
Then, the process proceeds to Step S208 and the compressed transfer
data file is stored into the image memory 9.
[0094] Also, in Step S210, the system controller 1 arranges to
establish several kinds of header information necessary to the
transfer data file, which are explained later.
[0095] When the series of characters for the boundary is not
successively followed by the "Content-Type" field, the boundary
indicates that the last information file has been ended. Therefore,
when the system controller 1 detects that the series of characters
for the boundary which is not successively followed by the
"Content-Type" field, it determines that the last information file
has been processed. Accordingly, the contents of all the
information files are stored as the image information and the
transfer data files in the image memory 9 by this time. This is a
case when the result of Step S204 is NO.
[0096] In this case, the system controller 1 instructs the network
controller 11 to originate a call to a facsimile machine having a
telephone number indicated after the word "relay" in the "To" field
of the common header Z0, in Step S211. In Step S212, the network
controller 11 performs a pre-transmission operation to determine a
transfer function depending upon the type of transmission. In Step
S213, the network controller 11 further performs a general modem
training operation at a certain modem speed to determine a suitable
transmission speed.
[0097] The data transmission procedure in Step S214 is determined
according to the type of the information to be transmitted. The
network controller 11 performs the ECM/MMR data transmission mode
operation for transmitting image information and the ECM/BFT data
transmission operation to transmitting a transfer data file.
[0098] After completing the transmission of information in Step
S214, the network controller 11 performs a general
after-transmission operation in Step S215. Then, the network
controller 11 disconnect the line in Step S216, thereby ending the
relay transmission operation.
[0099] When the "Content-Type" field of the header of the received
relay transmission request E-mail does not include the word
"multi-part" and the result of Step S203 is NO, the system
controller 1 determines that the received relay transmission
request E-mail is not a multi-part MIME formatted relay
transmission request E-mail and the process proceeds to Step S217
of FIG. 10(b). Then, in Step S217, the system controller 1 further
examines a value of the "Content-Type" field of the header of the
received relay transmission request E-mail to determine whether the
"Content-Type" field includes the word "text". When the
"Content-Type" field includes the word "text" and the result of
Step S217 is YES, the system controller 1 determines that the
contents of the received relay transmission request E-mail are a
MIME formatted text. The process then proceeds to Step S218. In
Step S218, the MIME formatted text is decoded into original
symbol/character codes according to the encoding method indicated
in the "Content-Transfer-Encoding" field and, then, the original
symbol/character codes are converted into corresponding image data.
Then, in Step S219, the thus-created image data are compressed to
form transfer image information to be transmitted. In Step S220,
the compressed transfer image information is stored into the image
memory 9. Then, the process proceeds to Step S211 to perform
transmission of the transfer image information to the destination
facsimile machine.
[0100] When the "Content-Type" field does not include the word
"text" and the result of Step S217 is NO, the system controller 1
determines that the contents of the received relay transmission
request E-mail are arbitrary application file data. Then, the
process proceeds to Step S221. In Step S221, the MIME formatted
arbitrary application file data are decoded into original arbitrary
application file data using the base 64 indicated in the
"Content-Transfer-Encoding" field. Subsequently, in Step S222, the
original arbitrary application file data are compressed so as to
generate a transfer data file to be transferred to the destination
through the file transfer procedure. Then, the process proceeds to
Step S220 and the compressed transfer data file is stored into the
image memory 9.
[0101] Also, in Step S222, the system controller 1 arranges to
establish several kinds of header information necessary to the
transfer data file, which are explained later.
[0102] After Step S220, the process proceeds to Step S211 and the
image information or the data file stored in the image memory 9 is
transmitted to a destination facsimile machine in the same way as
described above through Steps S211 to S216.
[0103] In this way, the network facsimile apparatus 100 performs
the relay transmission operation when receiving a multi-part MIME
formatted relay transmission request E-mail.
[0104] Next, another exemplary performance of the network facsimile
apparatus 100 upon a receipt of a multi-part MIME formatted relay
transmission request E-mail is explained with reference to FIGS.
11(a)-11(c) and 12. In Step S301 of FIG. 11(a), the system
controller 1 of the network facsimile apparatus 100 examines a
value of the "To" field of the header of the received E-mail to
determine whether the "To" field includes the word "relay". If the
"To" field does not includes the word "relay" and the result of
Step S301 is NO, the system controller 1 determines that the
received E-mail is not a relay transmission request E-mail and the
process proceeds to Step S302 to process the received E-mail
through a predetermined E-mail receiving procedure. Then, the
process ends.
[0105] When the "To" field of the header of the received E-mail
includes the word "relay" and the result of Step S301 is YES, the
system controller 1 determines that the received E-mail is a relay
transmission request E-mail and the process proceeds to Step S303,
in which the system controller 1 stores the information of the
common header Z0 into the system memory 2. Then, in Step S304, the
system controller 1 examines a value of the "Content-Type" field of
the header of the received relay transmission request E-mail to
determine whether the "Content-Type" field includes the word
"multi-part". When the "Content-Type" field includes the word
"multi-part" and the result of Step S304 is YES, the system
controller 1 determines that the received relay transmission
request E-mail is a multi-part MIME formatted relay transmission
request E-mail and that the header of the mail is the common header
Z0 and the process proceeds to Step S305. Then, in Step S305, the
system controller 1 detects the series of characters for the
boundary successively followed by the "Content-Type" field to find
the sub-headers, such as the Z1, Z2, Z3, and so forth.
[0106] When the network facsimile apparatus 100 finds one of the
sub-headers and the result of Step S305 is YES, the process
proceeds to Step S306 and the system controller 1 further examines
a value of the "Content-Type" field contained in the found
sub-header to determine whether the "Content-Type" field includes
the word "text". When the "Content-Type" field of the found
sub-header includes the word "text" and the result of Step S306 is
YES, the system controller 1 determines that the contents of the
information file having the found sub-header is a MIME formatted
text.
[0107] In Step S307, the system controller 1 determines whether the
information file having the found sub-header is the first text
information file having the sub-header Z1. When the information
file having the found sub-header is the first text information file
having the sub-header Z1 and the determination result in Step S307
is YES, the process proceeds to Step S308 and the system controller
1 pastes the information of the common header Z0 stored in the
system memory 2 into the contents of the information file having
the sub-header Z1. In Step S309, the system controller 1 further
pastes the information of the sub-header Z1 into the contents of
itself. When the information file having the found sub-header is
not the first text information having the found sub-header Z1 and
the determination result in Step S307 is NO, the process jumps to
Step S309. In this way, information of the common header Z0 and the
sub-header Z1 can be pasted into the contents of the first text
information file while only information of sub-headers is pasted
into the contents of information files other than the first text
information file.
[0108] In Step S310, the MIME formatted text contents after the
sub-header Z1, having the information of the common header Z0 and
the sub-header Z1, are decoded back into original symbol/character
codes, which is the Japanese symbol/character codes in this
exemplary case, according to the decoding method indicated in the
"Content-Transfer-Encoding" field. Based on the thus-obtained
original Japanese symbol/character codes, corresponding image data
is generated. In Step S311, the image data is compressed so that
transfer image information to be transmitted to a destination is
generated. In Step S312, the thus-compressed transfer image
information is stored into the image memory 9. Then, the process
returns to Step S305 to find the next sub-header.
[0109] When the "Content-Type" field of the found sub-header does
not include the word "text" and the result of Step S306 is NO, the
system controller 1 determines that the contents of the information
file having the found sub-header are arbitrary application file
data. Then, the process proceeds to Step S313. In Step S313, the
system controller 1 copies the information of the found sub-header
and pastes the information into a predetermined place in the header
of the arbitrary application file data. This predetermined place
for indicating the information of the found sub-header can be a
"private-use-Attribute", for example, in the header of the
arbitrary application file data. As an example, an information list
43(a) for the header of the arbitrary application file data, in
which the "private-use-Attribute" is included, and an information
list 43(b) for the "private-use-attribute" are shown in FIG.
12.
[0110] In Step S314, the MIME formatted arbitrary application file
data after the found sub-header are decoded into original arbitrary
application file data according to the base 64 indicated in the
"Content-Transfer-Encoding" field. In Step S315, the original
arbitrary application file data are compressed so as to generate a
transfer data file to be transferred to the destination through the
file transfer procedure. Then, the process proceeds to Step S312
and the compressed transfer data file is stored into the image
memory 9. Then, the process further proceeds to Step S305 to search
a next sub-header.
[0111] When the series of characters for the boundary is not
successively followed by the "Content-Type" field, the boundary
indicates that the last information file has been ended.
[0112] Therefore, when the system controller 1 detects the series
of characters for the boundary which is not successively followed
by the "Content-Type" field, it determines that the last
information file has been processed. Accordingly, contents of all
the information files are stored as the image information and the
transfer data files in the image memory 9 by this time. This is a
case when the result of Step S305 is NO.
[0113] In this case, the process proceeds to Step S316 of FIG.
11(b). In Step S316, the system controller 1 determines whether the
received E-mail includes no information file having text contents.
When the received E-mail includes no information file having text
contents and the determination result of Step S316 is NO, the
process proceeds to Step S317. Then, the system controller 1
controls the encoding/decoding unit 8 to convert the information of
the common header into image data in Step S317, to compress the
image data in Step S318, and to store the compressed image data
into the image memory 9 in Step S319. Then, the process proceeds to
Step S320. When the received E-mail includes an information file
having text contents and the determination result of Step S316 is
YES, the process jumps to Step S320.
[0114] In Step S320, the system controller 1 instructs the network
controller 11 to originate a call according to a telephone number
indicated after the word "relay" in the "To" field. In Step S321,
the network controller 11 performs a pre-transmission operation to
set a transfer function depending upon the type of transmission. In
this event, the network controller 11 sets the ECM mode to transfer
the image information or the file transfer mode to transfer the
data file. In Step S322, the network controller 11 further performs
a general modem training operation at a certain modem speed to
determine a suitable modem speed.
[0115] After completing transmission, the network controller 11
performs a general after-transmission operation, in Step S324.
Then, the network controller 11 disconnect the line in Step S325,
thereby ending the relay transmission operation.
[0116] When the "Content-Type" field of the header of the received
relay transmission request E-mail does not include the word
"multi-part" and the result of Step S304 is NO, the system
controller 1 determines as that the received relay transmission
request E-mail is not a multi-part MIME formatted relay
transmission request E-mail and the process proceeds to Step S326
of FIG. 11(c). Then, in Step S326, the system controller 1 further
examines a value of the "Content-Type" field of the header of the
received relay transmission request E-mail to determine whether the
"Content-Type" field includes the word "text". When the
"Content-Type" field includes the word "text" and the result of
Step S326 is YES, the system controller 1 determines as that the
contents of the received relay transmission request E-mail is a
MIME formatted text. The process then proceeds to Step S327. In
Step S327, the system controller 1 pastes the information of the
common header stored in the system memory 2 into the text contents
of the information file of the received E-mail. In this way,
information of the common header can be pasted into the contents of
the text information file.
[0117] After pasting the header into the text contents, the process
proceeds to Step S328. In Step S328, the MIME formatted text of the
received E-mail is decoded back into original symbol/character
codes, which is the Japanese symbol/character codes in this
exemplary case, according to the decoding method indicated in the
"Content-Transfer-Encod- ing" field. Based on the thus-obtained
original Japanese symbol/character codes, corresponding image data
is generated. In Step S329, the image data is compressed so that
transfer image information to be transmitted to a destination is
generated. In Step S330, the thus-compressed transfer image
information is stored into the image memory 9. Then, the process
returns to Step S320 to transfer the transfer image information
stored in the image memory 9.
[0118] When the "Content-Type" field of the received E-mail does
not include the word "text" and the result of Step S326 is NO, the
system controller 1 determines that the contents of the information
file of the received E-mail are arbitrary application file data.
Then, the process proceeds to Step S331. The system controller 1
controls the encoding/decoding unit 8 to convert the information of
the common header into image data in Step S331, to compress the
image data in Step S332, and to store the compressed image data
into the image memory 9 in Step S333.
[0119] Then, in Step S334, the system controller 1 copies the
information of the common header of the received E-mail into a
predetermined place in the header of the arbitrary application file
data. This predetermined place for indicating the information of
the found sub-header can be the "private-use-Attribute", for
example, in the header of the arbitrary application file data.
[0120] Then, in Step S335, the MIME formatted arbitrary application
file data of the received E-mail are decoded into original
arbitrary application file data according to the base 64 indicated
in the "Content-Transfer-Encoding" field. In Step S336, the
original arbitrary application file data are compressed so as to
generate a transfer data file to be transferred to the destination
through the file transfer procedure. Then, the process proceeds to
Step S332 and the compressed transfer data file is stored into the
image memory 9.
[0121] After Step S332, the process returns to Step S320 and either
the image information or the data file stored in the image memory 9
is transmitted to a destination facsimile machine in the same way
as described above through Steps S320 to S325.
[0122] In this way, the header information can be pasted into the
text contents or the arbitrary application file data, so that the
user can recognize the contents when receiving a relay transmission
request E-mail.
[0123] As a feature, when a plurality of text information files and
a plurality of data files are contained in a multi-part MIME
formatted relay transmission request E-mail, transmission time can
be reduced by combining all the text information files into a first
text information file and, as a result, all the data files will be
made as one data file.
[0124] As another feature, a request of relay transmission may be
accomplished by placing information for request into the contents,
for example although a telephone number for a destination is placed
in the "To" field in order to request a relay transmission in the
above-described embodiment.
[0125] As another feature, the FAX 111 may transmits received image
information or data file to a personal computer, for example,
although the FAX 111 stores them into a floppy disk in the
above-described embodiment.
[0126] This disclosed system and method may be conveniently
implemented using a conventional general purpose digital computer
programmed according to the teachings of the present specification,
as will be apparent to those skilled in the computer art.
Appropriate software coding can readily be prepared by skilled
programmers based on the teachings of the present disclosure, as
will be apparent to those skilled in the software art. The
disclosed system and method may also be implemented by the
preparation of application specific integrated circuits or by
interconnecting an appropriate network of conventional component
circuits, as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the
art.
[0127] This application claims priority of Japanese Application No.
9-084633 filed on Mar. 19, 1997 which is incorporated herein by
reference.
[0128] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that
numerous additional modifications and variations of the present
invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is
therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended
claims, the system and method may be practiced otherwise than as
specifically described herein.
* * * * *